


Follow the North Star

by youcouldmakealife



Series: Follow the North Star [45]
Category: Original Work
Genre: M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-14
Updated: 2018-02-14
Packaged: 2019-03-18 03:28:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13673310
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/youcouldmakealife/pseuds/youcouldmakealife
Summary: “She could understand what we’re saying,” Roman says. “You don’t know.”“Obviously she doesn’t,” Harry says. “Or she would know there’s a party, since she’s sitting right fucking there.”“Hey Zuza,” Evan says, grinning when one of her ears pops up. “Ready for your party?”“Don’t ruin the surprise, Connie,” Roman says, and laughs when Harry makes a wordless sound of rage.





	Follow the North Star

When Roman started talking about holding Zuza a birthday party, Evan didn’t really take him seriously. Zuza’s birthday was months away, Roman said it kind of idly while making dinner, and Harry mocked the idea until dinner was ready. Evan didn’t actually expect the party to happen.

Evan maybe should have remembered that Roman not only founded the Rookie Detectives, he made them official buttons. Evan still has his in the drawer of his bedside table — or, its replacement, to be more accurate, since he lost the original during the disastrous reconnaissance at Liam’s house that ended in their discovery. It doesn’t look homemade or anything. You can tell Roman put a lot of thought into making their buttons look good.

This extends to Zuza’s party, it turns out. Roman invites over half the team, orders a cake specifically for dogs, which Evan hadn’t been aware was a thing, and comes home the day before the party with a trunk full of snacks and pop, a case of beer, half a dozen bottles of liquor, and two bags worth of party things: streamers, balloons, a banner, even little party hats.

“Oh no,” Harry says. “No fucking way are you hanging fucking _streamers_ for a party for your _dog_.”

That’s when the arguing starts.

*

“You look tired,” Val says, when Evan slumps back to their apartment to shower and change before heading back to Roman’s to help set up. 

“Roman and Harry have been arguing since last night,” Evan says. They had a truce in bed, both for sleeping and other purposes, but as soon as coffee started percolating they got right back to it. Evan _is_ tired.

“Real arguing?” Val asks. “Or Harry arguing?”

“Harry arguing,” Evan says.

“So just…regular day,” Val says.

“Well,” Evan says, then realises he can’t really argue that.

“But I understand,” Val says. “Harry is tiring.”

“No,” Evan protests. “He’s just—”

“I love Harry,” Val says. “But I also share a room with him. Harry is tiring.”

“Sometimes,” Evan says, and then immediately feels guilty. “But I don’t mind or anything, I—”

“Yes, yes, you love Harry more,” Val says, then, “Aww,” when Evan feels himself going red. “You staying, or just here for shower?”

“Shower, sorry,” Evan says. “I promised Roman I’d help him set up.”

“Like living alone,” Val complains.

“I know, I’m sorry,” Evan says. “Tuesday? Movie night?”

“Fine,” Val grumbles.

“And I’ll see you this afternoon,” Evan says. “You’re coming, right?” 

“Fitzy says boyfriend is making treats,” Val says, which Evan guesses must mean ‘yes’. 

“But you’d come even if Liam’s boyfriend didn’t make treats, right?” Evan asks. “Val?”

“Birthday party for _dog_ ,” Val says.

“I think it’s sweet,” Evan says.

“You think everything is sweet,” Val says. “Harry yelling at everyone: sweet. Roman knocks opponent on ass: sweet.”

“That _was_ sweet,” Evan says. And besides, Roman’s hit on him was a lot cleaner than the hit he’d laid on Evan first. Evan’s still got a bruise that twinges whenever he moves his arm, and it’s been over a week.

“Go shower, I’m watching Bachelor alone,” Val says.

“Hey,” Evan says. “Val.”

“Fine,” Val mutters. “I wait for Bachelor.”

“Thanks Val,” Evan says, and gets an irritated hand wave in return. “We could stay over here some—”

“No thank you!” Val says loudly, and scowls when Evan starts laughing.

*

It’s quiet when Evan opens the door to Roman’s with the key Roman gave him last month. It definitely hadn’t been when he left to change. Maybe Harry’s headed home to change himself, or maybe they’ve quit arguing. Or, alternately, they’ve transferred it into foreplay. Evan’s noticed a lot of their arguments turn into foreplay. He doesn’t mind. They don’t need him to be involved in the argument to be involved in what comes after. Plus they’ve mostly stopped making him referee.

“You have been talking about this for literal months,” He hears as he toes his shoes off by the door. “In what fucking world do you think you can call this a surprise party?”

“Zuza’s going to be surprised,” Roman responds mildly.

“I mean, _obviously_ ,” Harry says. “But it’s not exactly hard to surprise a dog. Zuza barks at the _vacuum_.”

“Are you calling my dog dumb, Chalmers?” Roman asks, and Evan comes into the living room to find them still in pyjamas — well, Roman in pyjama bottoms and a North Stars shirt cracked with washing, Harry in boxers and one of Roman’s t-shirts — on opposite sides of the couch, Harry’s feet in Roman’s lap. 

Definitely not a real argument, then. Evan pretty much knew that already, but sometimes arguments that sound silly escalate to real arguments without Evan quite understanding why. But he knows when Harry’s genuinely annoyed he doesn’t like being touched, so this is just a standard Roman and Harry conversation. 

Evan’s gotten used to it. It made him nervous, at the beginning, especially because he knew there was some genuine animosity between Harry and Roman lingering, but now it’s an almost comforting routine.

“Hey,” Roman says, holding an arm out for Evan to slide under as Harry tucks his feet under his thighs to make room for him. “Harry called my dog dumb.”

“I heard,” Evan says. They may not obligate him to referee anymore, but he’s willing to involve himself in this one. “Zuza’s not dumb.”

“I didn’t call her dumb,” Harry protests. “She just doesn’t understand human speech or the concept of vacuums. Because she’s a _dog_.”

“She could understand what we’re saying,” Roman says. “You don’t know.”

“Obviously she doesn’t,” Harry says. “Or she would know there’s a party, since she’s sitting _right fucking there_.”

“Hey Zuza,” Evan says, grinning when one of her ears pops up. “Ready for your party?”

“Don’t ruin the surprise, Connie,” Roman says, and laughs when Harry makes a wordless sound of rage.

*

Roman and Evan put up the decorations after Harry leaves to do his own shower and change and pick up Beau for the party. Evan noticed that Harry complained about basically every decision Roman was making for the party, but he didn’t argue about Roman inviting Beau for even a second. That and the fact that when they went to the mall last week to catch a movie while Roman was having dinner with his parents, Harry dragged Evan into the pet store and bought about fifty dollars worth of dog toys for Zuza and swore him to secrecy makes Evan think he’s actually not against the party at all.

Evan wonders if he’s going to hide them around Roman’s place and pretend they’ve always been there, just so he doesn’t have to admit he bought presents. 

“Don’t even need a ladder when you’re around,” Roman says, as Evan hangs the banner over the door. “I’m keeping you.”

“Okay,” Evan says, then, “Hey, stop,” when Roman presses himself against his back, curling a hand around his hip, beard scratching against the back of his neck. “I’ll hang it crooked.”

“No one will notice,” Roman says.

“ _I’ll_ notice,” Evan retorts, and he just knows Roman’s rolling his eyes at him, but he pulls back and lets Evan hang it properly.

Harry comes in just after they finish decorating, like he timed it, Beau and Zuza greeting each other with such excitement you’d think they hadn’t seen each other in months, though they hung out together at the park yesterday. Evan’s pretty sure all Zuza needed for her birthday was some quality time with Beau, but he’s not going to say that out loud.

“Take that stupid thing off your head,” Harry says.

“It’s a party hat,” Evan says.

“I know what it is,” Harry says. “Don’t let Roman bully you into wearing it.”

“He didn’t bully me,” Evan says, and swats at Harry’s hand when Harry tries to reach up to remove it.

“Listen,” Harry says, very quiet. “You need to tell Roman you got her these.”

“What?” Evan asks, blinking as Harry looks warily over at Roman before trying to press a bag full of neatly wrapped presents into Evan’s hands, stealthy as a drug deal. Not that Evan actually knows what a drug deal actually looks like, but he’s seen movies and stuff, and Harry’s acting suspicious enough for it.

“No,” Evan says, holding his hands up so Harry can’t give him the bag.

“Come _on_ ,” Harry says. “You know he’s never going to let me—”

“Roman, Harry wants to know where he should put the presents he got Zuza,” Evan says, before Harry can talk him into it.

“Traitor,” Harry hisses, and plucks Evan’s hat off before he can defend himself.

*

Evan’s kind of worried that no one’s coming when the posted time of the party passes without anyone coming, but Roman doesn’t seem bothered. He’s right not to, because about twenty minutes later a steady stream of North Stars, some of their significant others, and a few of Roman’s local friends come through the door, and by half an hour in, Roman’s place feels packed enough that Evan starts worrying instead that they aren’t all going to fit.

He stays posted near the door with Roman, because he doesn’t know any of Roman’s non-North Stars friends, and he knows he should introduce himself, but it’s a lot easier to have Roman do that for him.

Thankfully it’s more North Stars as it goes on, all of them varying degrees of late, and Liam one of the latest.

“Boyfriend couldn’t come, but he made brownies,” Liam says cheerfully.

“I’m only letting you in because of the brownies,” Roman says.

“Hey,” Liam says.

“You know he could have come,” Roman adds, so low Evan almost doesn’t hear him.

Liam shrugs a shoulder. “Parties aren’t really his thing,” he says. “Or, like. People. Honestly, things aren’t really his thing.”

Roman snorts. “Fair enough,” he says, like he knows that firsthand, and Evan’s curious, but he doesn’t want to pry.

“Lil Connie!” Liam exclaims, like he didn’t see him two days ago, and Evan’s immediately wary.

“Look at you,” Liam says, and telegraphs that he’s reaching for Evan’s face early enough that Evan can take a step back before his cheeks are pinched. “Stepdad at twenty. Where’s the birthday girl?”

“Hiding,” Victor says, suddenly right at Evan’s shoulder. Evan doesn’t remember him arriving, which is weird, since he’s been at the door pretty much the whole time.

“Wait, seriously?” Roman asks, and goes off to the living room after Victor tilts his head that way.

“You didn’t…do anything to make Zuza hide, did you?” Evan asks Victor.

“I’m offended you’re asking me that,” Victor says. 

“That wasn’t a no,” Liam says. 

“She’s probably just sulking because she lost the staring contest,” Victor mutters.

“What?” Evan asks.

“What?” Victor says.

“I’m going to go check on her,” Evan says.

“Such a good stepdad,” Liam says, and Victor gives Liam the finger before Evan can, because he’s got his back.

Zuza’s already been rescued by the time Evan gets there. Harry’s lying on the floor with her and Beau, offering her one of her birthday presents while Roman looks down on him with the kind of grin Evan might be a little envious of Harry receiving if he wasn’t almost positive he has the same grin on his own face.

Roman has to go back and play host, but Evan doesn’t, so he joins Harry on the carpet, plays tug of war with Zuza for awhile until he realises they’re being rude, hogging the birthday girl for themselves when they’re the only ones who see her all the time.

“No one cares,” Harry says, when Evan mentions it. “They came for free booze and free food, I guaran-fucking-tee you.”

“Still,” Evan says, and Harry sighs, but he gets up, and Beau and Zuza trail after him into the kitchen like he’s the pied piper.

There aren’t enough chairs in the kitchen for everyone. Evan guesses that’s why Liam’s decided to take a seat in Roman’s lap.

“Get off,” Roman’s saying, but with a laugh in his voice. He’s not the only one laughing, especially once he starts trying to dump Liam on the floor, and Liam somehow manages to hold it, laughing harder when Liam darts forward to press a kiss to his cheek, and it’s —

Liam’s always flirted with Roman. Not seriously, even Evan can tell that, can tell he doesn’t mean it, though it tugged at him uncomfortably, especially last year, nursing what he knew was a hopeless crush, because Liam seemed so _comfortable_ flirting with Roman, cracking jokes and touching his arm and everything that Evan couldn’t imagine doing himself. It’s different now, obviously, but it tugs at him again today. 

Evan’s not jealous or anything, it’s just—

It just seems like no one’s taking it seriously, or even paying attention, unless it’s to laugh, which even Finds does, though he groans as well. It’s played off like a joke, and it _is_ a joke, it’s just — 

Maybe he is jealous, but not of Liam, exactly. Or maybe he is, because Evan can’t do what he does. Evan doesn’t even _want_ to do what he does, he doesn’t know how Liam can say the things he does without feeling embarrassed, and anything Evan does say or do is for him and Roman and Harry, not anyone else, but. Even if he wanted to, he couldn’t, he doesn’t think. 

It’s just —

“You okay, babe?” Harry murmurs.

“I’m fine,” Evan says.

It’s just — 

Val and Victor and Liam know about the three of them, and Evan can handle them knowing, even Liam, though that one’s kind of mortifying. But there are guys here who don’t, who Evan thinks might have a problem with them. 

He doesn’t mean because they’re guys, since no one seems to care about Liam having a boyfriend. Plus, they were all really supportive of Evan during his rookie year, even though he hadn’t exactly come out. A lot of them took him aside and let him know if he ever wanted to talk they’d be cool with that and that what he had to talk about wasn’t a problem. Roman was the first one to take him aside like that, but it was far from only Roman, and he appreciated it, as humiliating as it was to know he was being that obvious, and that obvious _specifically_ to Roman.

Evan knows they wouldn’t care about the guy thing, but he also knows they’d care about this. Maybe because they’re teammates, but also because it’s three of them. He doesn’t think a lot of them would understand. 

Evan’s not sure _he_ understands it fully, other than the fact that what they have works for them, that it keeps working for them, and he’s grateful for it. He didn’t want to choose, and he didn’t have to. He wanted them both, and he has them, and they have each other, arguments aside, and it’s better with both of them. He feels best when both of them are there.

He doesn’t know why this is bothering him so much right now, Liam looking more like Roman’s boyfriend than Harry or Evan, because it’s not the first time. The three of them turn things off the second they start work. Or, they still talk, they still hang out, but as teammates. Professionalism is important, and Evan doesn’t want anyone to doubt his.

Except maybe he does know, because they’re not in the room right now. Team is there, but it’s not a team function, just Roman inviting friends over. They’re in Roman’s space, space that usually belongs to them, space where Evan usually doesn’t have to pretend he’s anything other than what he is, and while it’s easy to set things aside in the locker room, or if not easy, necessary, it’s hard to do it here.

It feels like he’s lying. Liam’s perched on Roman’s knee, and Evan and Harry are halfway across the room, and it feels like he’s lying.

“Do me a favour?” Harry says.

“Of course,” Evan says automatically.

“Ice run!” Harry yells, then drags Evan right out the front door.

“What’s the hurry?” Evan asks.

“Roman was 100% about to say he doesn’t need ice,” Harry says. “Since he specifically made me pick some up while I was grabbing Beau. Tyrant.”

“What are we doing then?” Evan asks.

“You looked like you needed a breather,” Harry says.

“Oh,” Evan says, then. “I did. Thanks.”

“What’s up?” Harry asks.

“It’s stupid,” Evan says.

“Why don’t you actually tell me what’s up instead of dismissing it as stupid first?” Harry says.

“I don’t even know how to say it right,” Evan says. “Just. Did you notice Liam hanging over Roman?”

“Evan Connelly, are you jealous?” Harry crows.

“No!” Evan says. “Not like. Not like you mean it. I just — it’s more that —”

Harry waits him out instead of prompting him, which Evan knows isn’t easy for him. He appreciates it.

“It’s just that no one cared, you know?” Evan says. “They were laughing. But if I did that — I wouldn’t even want to. It’s just. I don’t know. That I can’t? Even if I did want to? And it’s one thing in the locker room, it’s fine there, but it’s different when we’re at Roman’s and I still can’t. That we’re just — not.”

“I told you it was stupid,” Evan mumbles when Harry doesn’t say anything.

“It’s not,” Harry says. “I’m way less cool than you are about the locker room, so I definitely get it.”

“You’re not okay with that?” Evan asks. “You said—”

“It’s not that I’m not okay with it?” Harry says. “Like I get why we’re doing it, and I agree, like, not really something to do at work, you’re totally right, it’s just kind of hard to turn it off, you know? Like I keep catching myself a second away from squeezing your knee or flicking Roman on the nose.”

Evan smiles. “I don’t think anyone would think that second one meant you guys were dating.”

“They would if he didn’t immediately put me in a chokehold after,” Harry says. “I can’t trust him to make the right decision there. Guy’s soft.”

“ _Roman’s_ soft?” Evan asks.

“You know he is,” Harry says, nudging Evan’s side with his elbow, light as a caress. “He sucks at hiding it.”

“Yeah,” Evan says. “So do you.”

“Hey,” Harry says. “Take that back.”

“Nu uh,” Evan says, and pulls his arms tight against his sides before Harry can poke him into agreeing.

Harry tries anyway, frowning when Evan slaps his hand away. “Fine,” he says. “But you’re the softest.”

“Probably,” Evan agrees, then, “Thanks. For, you know. Checking on me.”

“’course,” Harry says, like it’s that easy, and Evan double checks the block’s deserted before he curls his hand in Harry’s and squeezes once.

“We shouldn’t leave Roman alone with all those fuckers,” Harry says, squeezing back before letting go. “I mean, he’d totally deserve it for throwing a fucking birthday party for his dog, but I’m feeling generous today.”

Evan bites his lip.

“Don’t laugh at me,” Harry warns, but he’s smiling. “You ready to go back in?”

“Yeah,” Evan says. “Ready.”

*

Liam’s thankfully nowhere near the vicinity of Roman’s lap when they get back in, is talking to Val, who has a plate of food that mostly looks like brownies. Evan kind of wants to remind Val he’s got a nutrition plan he should be following, especially in the final push to make the playoffs, but he knows he shouldn’t.

“Hey,” Victor says, appearing suddenly beside him and nudging him with an elbow, raising his eyebrows. Evan’s not sure if he picked up on Evan’s mood before they went outside — he’s always been good at that — or if he just noticed the suspicious lack of ice upon their return. “You good?” he adds.

“M’good,” Evan says.

“I got you a brownie off Val’s plate,” Victor says. “Since he took pretty much all of them.”

“Stealing from your own linemate,” Harry says. “That’s low.”

“He’s got like ten left,” Victor says. “I don’t think he even noticed.”

“Still—” Harry starts.

“Want half?” Evan interrupts.

“Obviously,” Harry says.

“Hey,” Victor says, as Evan breaks the brownie in half, handing the bigger piece to Harry. “I got that for _you_ , Connelly.”

“But I want to share it,” Evan says. They look pretty decadent anyway. If Evan’s going to be drinking — and considering most people have beers or red cups in hand, including Roman, he’s probably going to be drinking — he needs to watch his caloric intake, and even half a brownie is probably equivalent to —

Victor knocks on the side of his head. “Stop,” he says. “And eat your damn brownie.”

“Okay,” Evan says, and takes a bite.

*

The last person doesn’t leave until way too late. Roman didn’t put an end time on the invites — well, he didn’t really _have_ invites, it was just word of mouth — which Evan thought was a bad idea. He was right. It’s close to midnight, they have a game tomorrow, and Evan’s completely wiped from interacting with people all day. 

They usually stay at Harry’s, since he’s the one with the king size bed, but none of them are sober enough to drive, and even though Harry’s place isn’t far, it’s too much effort to walk over. Evan’s exhausted. Roman somehow still has enough energy to start cleaning his place, but Harry and Evan take over the couch. Even sitting feels like a lot of effort, and Harry doesn’t seem to mind Evan laying his head in his lap, so Evan does that. 

Beau and Zuza seem just as wiped, curled up together on the carpet in front of them, Zuza gnawing at one of her new toys, and Evan lets his hand drift down, stroking Beau’s back.

“This place is a fucking mess,” Roman says. “Who let me invite that many fucking people?”

“I sure as shit didn’t,” Harry says. “Blame Evan.”

“I don’t even like people,” Evan mumbles into Harry’s thigh.

“That is a blatant lie,” Harry says. “As someone who actually doesn’t like—”

“I don’t like that many people at a time,” Evan amends. “It’s, you know, a lot.”

“You see almost that many people in the locker room every day,” Roman says, stacking paper plates on the coffee table.

“It’s different,” Evan says. “I don’t know.”

“I feel you,” Harry says, running his fingers through Evan’s hair. “You got to do that tonight, Novák?”

“There’s no point putting it off,” Roman says. “Especially since we’ve got—”

“Let me put it this way,” Harry interrupts. “You coming to bed with us or are we going alone?”

“I can finish tomorrow,” Roman says.

*

Roman’s bed is a tighter fit than Evan’s accustomed to — even the king bed is kind of tight, compared to sleeping alone on a queen mattress — but not in a bad way, exactly. At the start he thought he’d feel trapped, not being able to shift without disturbing an arm or a leg, let alone get out of bed, but instead it’s almost the opposite. 

Evan still lies awake long after he means to sometimes, brain going in endless circles until he’s exhausted enough to fall asleep or wound up enough he has to get out of bed, but it happens mostly when he’s sleeping alone, the nights he stays at his and Val’s place, or on the road listening to Victor’s soft snores from the other bed. His head’s quieter in the tangle of limbs that’s sharing a bed, and not entirely because usually there’s been some form of physical exertion before he falls asleep.

It’s especially tangled tonight since Roman lets Zuza sleep in his room, and Beau by extension tonight so he wouldn’t be left out. Harry tried to argue it’d set a bad precedent for Beau, but Roman pulled out the ‘my house, my rules’ card, and it worked for once. Evan thinks it’s Zuza curled up at his feet.

“Fuck off, Beau,” Harry mumbles, so Zuza’s confirmed, then, “Second straight day crammed into this stupid hard bed.”

“Hey,” Roman says. “My poor fucking back handles your soft as shit bed way more often, quit bitching.”

“He doesn’t know how to,” Evan mumbles into the pillow, and gets an elbow in the side for it.

“Teaming up on me,” Harry says. “Uncool.”

“You like when we team up on you,” Roman says.

“Don’t bring it up when you can’t deliver,” Harry says. “That’s unfair.”

“Who says we can’t?” Roman says.

“Evan’s like, ninety percent of the way to asleep,” Harry says.

“M’not,” Evan mumbles. “M’awake. We talking — sex?”

“Okay, point taken,” Roman says.

“M’awake,” Evan protests again, but he’s not sure that’s completely true. 

He feels lips press against his temple, and he turns his head for a kiss, not scratchy enough to be Roman.

“M’awake,” he insists one last time, and he’s pretty sure the grin against his mouth means Harry’s laughing at him, but he doesn’t really mind.

**Author's Note:**

> And that's all for these boys! I may revisit them for short visits in the future, but in the meantime they are very much in love with their dogs, each other's dogs, and, of course, each other.


End file.
